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in: Building types, Monasteries, Religious terms, Year of Miracles

Monastery

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A monastery was a type of religious community consisting of a building or complex of buildings.[1]

Etymology[]

Monasteries with a solely female clergy were referred to as a nunnery. The mixed clergy exceptions to this were the Church of Sharess and Church of Sune.[1] In the Tabotan language, monasteries were referred to as gompa.[2]

Description[]

Monasteries always incorporated a temple[1][3] and living quarters as part of their design.[3] They were often walled in and usually had some means of sustaining themselves, such as a farm, sheep pastures, or by cultivating mushrooms in caverns. They also typically had some means of supporting themselves monetarily, such as a mill or tannery, producing goods they could sell to generate income.[1]

Monastic Life[]

These communities were places of learning and strength,[4] offering inhabitants peace and isolation from the outside world[3] so they could achieve inner perfection.[5] To this end, inhabitants could receive religious instruction and in some cases harsh training in martial arts,[6] learning how to be skilled at fighting without the use of armor and weapons.[5]

Those who dwelled in monasteries were avengers,[7] shugenja,[8] sohei,[3] swordsages,[9] and most typically monks[3][5][6][10] or monastic priests. They would live on site for years at a time or for the rest of their lives.[1] However, monasteries were also open to anyone who required advice, assistance, or shelter.[4] And in Kozakura particularly, monasteries in peaceful areas were often seen as a fashionable place of retirement by emperors, nobles, noble widows, and samurai.[6] The number of people who lived at a monastery varied, but it could go as high as over three thousand people.[3]

Those who lived in monasteries did so under a strict regimen of routine rituals and prayer. They also worked to advance the influence and wealth of their faith's priesthood.[1] Though monasteries devoted to evil deities would often selfishly hoard knowledge and wealth for their own order's use.[4]

In some nations that had theocratic governments, such as the Kuong Kingdom[11] and Ra-Khati, monasteries served as administrative centers.[12]

Faiths[]

Faiths in Faerûn that were noted as having monasteries included the Church of Amaunator,[13] Church of Deneir, Church of Helm, Church of Ilmater, Church of Loviatar, Church of Oghma,[14] Church of Sharess, and Church of Sune.[1] The faiths of Chauntea, Loviatar, and Selûne had monasteries hidden in the farmlands of Turmish.[15] And the Halfling pantheon had some of its own monasteries in the halfling homeland of Luiren, through means of a monastic order known as the Hin Fist.[16]

In the continent of Kara-Tur, faiths that were noted as having monasteries included the Eight Million Gods,[6] the Lords of Creation,[11] the Padhran religion,[12] the Path of Enlightenment,[3][6] and the Way.[17]

Monastery Sites[]

Monasteries were generally built in secluded or remote locations,[1][3][6] though some were located within or near towns or villages. The latter were generally on good terms with their neighbors, providing various services in exchange for food or other resources.[18]

They could be found throughout all of Toril, though most commonly in Amn, Calimshan, Damara, Kara-Tur, the Lake of Steam region, Mulhorand, and Silverymoon.[10]

In the continent of Kara-Tur monasteries could particularly be found in Khazari,[19] Kozakura,[6] the Kuong Kingdom,[11] in each major town of Ra-Khati (dedicated to the Padhran faith),[12] Shou Lung,[3] Tabot,[20] and Wa.[21]

Beyond the Prime Material plane, githzerai built monasteries in the planes of Limbo[22] and Warrior's Rest.[23] And on the Solania layer of Mount Celestia, one could find monasteries that were under the control of demigods.[24]

Notable Monasteries[]

Main article: Category:Monasteries

Appendix[]

External Links[]

References[]

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 Ed Greenwood, The Hooded One (2004-10-11). Questions for Ed Greenwood (2004). Candlekeep Forum. Retrieved on 2022-02-27.
  2. ↑ Mike Pondsmith, Jay Batista, Rick Swan, John Nephew, Deborah Christian (1988). Kara-Tur: The Eastern Realms (Volume I). (TSR, Inc), p. 72. ISBN 0-88038-608-8.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6 3.7 3.8 Mike Pondsmith, Jay Batista, Rick Swan, John Nephew, Deborah Christian (1988). Kara-Tur: The Eastern Realms (Volume I). (TSR, Inc), p. 4. ISBN 0-88038-608-8.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 Julia Martin, Eric L. Boyd (March 1996). Faiths & Avatars. (TSR, Inc.), p. 185. ISBN 978-0786903849.
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 Jonathan Tweet, Monte Cook, Skip Williams (July 2003). Player's Handbook v.3.5. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 39. ISBN 0-7869-2886-7.
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 6.4 6.5 6.6 Mike Pondsmith, Jay Batista, Rick Swan, John Nephew, Deborah Christian (1988). Kara-Tur: The Eastern Realms (Volume II). (TSR, Inc), p. 145. ISBN 0-88038-608-8.
  7. ↑ Jeremy Crawford, Mike Mearls, James Wyatt (March 2009). Player's Handbook 2. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 32. ISBN 0-7869-5016-4.
  8. ↑ Gary Gygax, David Cook, and François Marcela-Froideval (1985). Oriental Adventures. (TSR, Inc), p. 23. ISBN 0-8803-8099-3.
  9. ↑ Eytan Bernstein (2007-09-11). Crusaders, Swordsages, Warblades. Class Chronicles. Wizards of the Coast. Retrieved on 2016-05-21.
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 Ed Greenwood, Sean K. Reynolds, Skip Williams, Rob Heinsoo (June 2001). Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting 3rd edition. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 25. ISBN 0-7869-1836-5.
  11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 11.2 Mike Pondsmith, Jay Batista, Rick Swan, John Nephew, Deborah Christian (1988). Kara-Tur: The Eastern Realms (Volume II). (TSR, Inc), p. 105. ISBN 0-88038-608-8.
  12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 12.2 David Cook (August 1990). “Volume II”. In Steve Winter ed. The Horde (TSR, Inc.), pp. 97–98. ISBN 0-88038-868-4.
  13. ↑ Eric L. Boyd (June 2005). City of Splendors: Waterdeep. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 41. ISBN 0-7869-3693-2.
  14. ↑ Julia Martin, Eric L. Boyd (March 1996). Faiths & Avatars. (TSR, Inc.), pp. 54, 69, 76–77, 101–102, 132–133. ISBN 978-0786903849.
  15. ↑ Ed Greenwood (June 1994). “Elminster's Everwinking Eye: Mysterious Turmish”. In Jean Rabe ed. Polyhedron #96 (TSR, Inc.), p. 5.
  16. ↑ Thomas Reid (October 2004). Shining South. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 32. ISBN 0-7869-3492-1.
  17. ↑ Mike Pondsmith, Jay Batista, Rick Swan, John Nephew, Deborah Christian (1988). Kara-Tur: The Eastern Realms (Volume I). (TSR, Inc), p. 28. ISBN 0-88038-608-8.
  18. ↑ Mike Mearls, Jeremy Crawford (2014). Player's Handbook 5th edition. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 77. ISBN 978-0-7869-6560-1.
  19. ↑ David Cook (August 1990). “Volume II”. In Steve Winter ed. The Horde (TSR, Inc.), pp. 69–70. ISBN 0-88038-868-4.
  20. ↑ Mike Pondsmith, Jay Batista, Rick Swan, John Nephew, Deborah Christian (1988). Kara-Tur: The Eastern Realms (Volume I). (TSR, Inc), p. 70. ISBN 0-88038-608-8.
  21. ↑ David "Zeb" Cook (1987). Blood of the Yakuza. (TSR, Inc), p. 22. ISBN 0-88038-401-8.
  22. ↑ Mike Mearls, Jeremy Crawford, Christopher Perkins (2014-09-30). Monster Manual 5th edition. Edited by Scott Fitzgerald Gray. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 274. ISBN 978-0786965614.
  23. ↑ Richard Baker, James Wyatt (March 2004). Player's Guide to Faerûn. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 164. ISBN 0-7869-3134-5.
  24. ↑ Jeff Grubb (July 1987). Manual of the Planes 1st edition. (TSR), p. 87. ISBN 0880383992.
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